Jetstar forced Kurt Fearnley off wheelchair, says Paralympian

[Travel Guru]

Fairfax News network is reporting Fearnley "was forced to crawl aboard his flight".

Several news services are also now reporting that he was forced to crawl through the terminal AND across the Tarmac...hmm, interesting given that BNE has air bridges.

TG

 

[moa999]

My Gandmother has used both virgin and qantas without troubles, using wheel chair assistance from checkin to boarding.

Why not? We (Virgin Blue) offer the same mobility assistance as Qantas (I can't speak for JQ or TT)

crazydave98, you've convinced me - you're on the list for next time.

 

[UP4014]

crazydave98, you've convinced me - you're on the list for next time.

Don't be fooled, Virgin didn't rush in there by choice to help people with disabilities.

Virgin Blue amends disabled passenger rule - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[oz_mark]

While he chose to crawl rather than being pushed, I thought normal process was to use your own wheelchair to the boarding gate where you get swapped over, rather than having to change over at check-in.

Perhaps I was thinking of other airlines. Reading the info on the Jetstar website, though, it does seem that they do want it at check-in.

 

[UP4014]

While he chose to crawl rather than being pushed, I thought normal process was to use your own wheelchair to the boarding gate where you get swapped over, rather than having to change over at check-in.

Perhaps I was thinking of other airlines. Reading the info on the Jetstar website, though, it does seem that they do want it at check-in.

Looks like you're right, but airlines I've dealt with take the passengers wheel chair at the gate - a baggage handler waiting there to take it to the hold on boarding.

Here is my airport wheel chair story, some years ago I was coming back from Peru with a wheel chair bound work mate, the airport (not airline) supplied a wheel chair for us from Customs (the army of the new govt, a coup that week) to the plane, accross the tarmac. The air bridges not being used as we were leaving during a coup, so the foreign airlines would not come to the terminal but sat off the building facing outward ready to leave at a moments notice. They even bought their own baggage handlers on board who jumped out and to help load the plane.

Anyway, as a final South American departure gesture to us gringos, a wheel came away and the chair started a slow motion tilt as I was pushing reasonable fast across the open tarmac racing for the plane in a line of people also making haste to get on board.

One of the Lan Chile cabin crew standing at the stairs saw what happened in the dark as it was nearly 1am and started to run towards us at which point 3 baggage handlers came running, grabed the whole chair off the ground and bolted to the plane, carried it straight up the stairs and the plane was rolling before we got to our seats. I had a few scotches and they weren't concerned at all about waiting for the seat belt light to go off before serving me which was appreciated.

The remainder of the trip after Lan Chile to LAX then SFO and Sydney on UA was pleasingly uneventful.

Thumbs up to Lan Chile for their customer service that night.

Matt
PS, getting the airport is a whole other story

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Several news services are also now reporting that he was forced to crawl through the terminal AND across the Tarmac...hmm, interesting given that BNE has air bridges.

TG

JETSTAR uses the centre pier with numerous parking spots with NO airbridges. you walk downstairs and across the tarmac. they only use I think its one, or poss 2 gates at BNE, most flights its stairs

 

[Hvr]

"An able-bodied equivalent, a normal person's equivalent would be having your legs tied together, your pants pulled down and be carried or pushed through an airport."

Way too much hyperbole here. He chose to crawl rather than use the airline wheelchair. He chose to crawl on the toilet floor and whinge about it rather than use an offered chair etc.

I wonder if this was planned as a publicity stunt as soon as Jet* asked him to change into their chair? He certainly held his toungue until he got before a huge audience last night. Still any publicity is good publicity when you have a cause to publicise.

 

[777]

Sorry but i don't get why you are all turning on Fearnley?

Jetstar told the man he had to spend an HOUR AND A HALF waiting at the boarding gate in a chair designed that he couldn't move it by himself.

Seriously, i've seen people in threads around here complain about a 3 minute wait to get into the QP!

What's wrong with letting him keep his own chair til boarding OR letting him use a chair designed so he can move around the terminal?

Who here thinks 1.5 hours stuck in one spot is acceptable?

 

[samh004]

Sorry but i don't get why you are all turning on Fearnley?

Jetstar told the man he had to spend an HOUR AND A HALF waiting at the boarding gate in a chair designed that he couldn't move it by himself.

Seriously, i've seen people in threads around here complain about a 3 minute wait to get into the QP!

What's wrong with letting him keep his own chair til boarding OR letting him use a chair designed so he can move around the terminal?

Who here thinks 1.5 hours stuck in one spot is acceptable?

He was with his brother was he not? Had he used the chair provided his brother could have wheeled him around the terminal, but he chose not to use it.

If the rules say that they take the chair at check-in, then why should he be able to bend the rules, because he allegedly crawled the Kokoda? Perhaps if he’d made prior arrangements with them he’d have been able to stay in his chair a bit longer, but it doesn’t appear he did. And when he was told he couldn’t keep his chair, he threw a tantrum.

 

[777]

He was with his brother was he not? Had he used the chair provided his brother could have wheeled him around the terminal, but he chose not to use it.

If the rules say that they take the chair at check-in, then why should he be able to bend the rules, because he allegedly crawled the Kokoda? Perhaps if he’d made prior arrangements with them he’d have been able to stay in his chair a bit longer, but it doesn’t appear he did. And when he was told he couldn’t keep his chair, he threw a tantrum.

I don't think it's good enough. His point is that it's not good enough to leave wheelchair passengers stuck in one spot for an hour and half and i agree with him.

I don't think his point is that he should be able to bend the rules, it's that the rules suck for disabled travellers. Good on him, because they clearly do. Who here actually thinks that an airline lumping you in one spot at the gate for an hour and half before boarding is reasonable? How hard is it to collect his chair on boarding OR design the provided chairs so you can move around?

More often than not when i get a Jetstar flight the delays are extensive - sometimes hours. How long is reasonable to leave him stuck in a chair at the gate that doesn't move?

Sorry, but i think the case is pretty reasonable here.

 

[medhead]

I don't think it's good enough. His point is that it's not good enough to leave wheelchair passengers stuck in one spot for an hour and half and i agree with him.

I don't think his point is that he should be able to bend the rules, it's that the rules suck for disabled travellers. Good on him, because they clearly do. Who here actually thinks that an airline lumping you in one spot at the gate for an hour and half before boarding is reasonable? How hard is it to collect his chair on boarding OR design the provided chairs so you can move around?

More often than not when i get a Jetstar flight the delays are extensive - sometimes hours. How long is reasonable to leave him stuck in a chair at the gate that doesn't move?

Sorry, but i think the case is pretty reasonable here.

Well of course it is not reasonable to leave someone stuck, in general. But you are missing the point in this case, the guy wasn't stuck, his brother was with him and the brother could have pushed the wheel chair and he had the option to move that way. I'm not saying that is an acceptable situation all the time, it is just lucky that his brother was there this time, or that jetstar shouldn't lift their game.

But the fact is he made a choice, he could have used their chair and could have been mobile with his brother's help. Instead he made a different choice and every choice has consequences. Maybe he did this to assert his independence (and that is fair enough), but then he didn't seem to care about his independence when being carrying on a strecher into one of the camps on the kokoda track.

 

[yo yo ma]

Still any publicity is good publicity when you have a cause to publicise.

Nice summary... maybe Kurt has an upcoming book release?

 

[ejb]

Well of course it is not reasonable to leave someone stuck, in general. But you are missing the point in this case, the guy wasn't stuck, his brother was with him and the brother could have pushed the wheel chair and he had the option to move that way. I'm not saying that is an acceptable situation all the time, it is just lucky that his brother was there this time, or that jetstar shouldn't lift their game.

But the fact is he made a choice, he could have used their chair and could have been mobile with his brother's help. Instead he made a different choice and every choice has consequences. Maybe he did this to assert his independence (and that is fair enough), but then he didn't seem to care about his independence when being carrying on a strecher into one of the camps on the kokoda track.

Furthermore he could have checked in 30 minutes prior to boarding (as he is allowed) and spent the other hour in his chair. There is no requirement to check in 90 minutes before a J* flight.

I do believe he is using this to create publicity.

If we allow everyone to assert their individual rights we would have chaos.

ejb

 

[russianrob]

Airline wheel chairs are very narrow for the obvious reason, they need to fit down the isles of the planes. They also have small wheels, which means occupants can not move themselves. This is why he is throwing a hissy fit.
All this nonsense about "forced to crawl" misses the point it was HIS choice. Jstar (and all airlines) offer staff to push wheelchair customers to the gate, and onto the plane. Kurt's small size, and custom built chair, probably meant it would have fitted down the isle, but then it would have to be safely stowed somewhere on board. All airlines have a policiy on this, and they followed it without discrimination.
This determined, disabled Australian ParaOlympian was travelling with his brother who has helped him every other time, talk about a beat up!

 

[Mrmaxwell]

Firstly this;
"Jetstar has apologised to Paralympian Kurt Fearnley after he criticised the airline for making him check his personal wheelchair in with his luggage."

Then this;
"Our airline's policy for a passenger in a wheelchair being transported to and from a Jetstar aircraft, in the case of a self propelled chair, is that they are transferred from their own wheelchair into a specifically designed airline wheelchair at or near the boarding gate."

So to me it seems JQ policy was NOT followed as they have clearly indicated that wheelchair PAX change wheelchairs "at or near the boarding gate" and NOT at point of check in (unless they think check in is 'near' the boarding gate?)

I believe this is what his complaint is about?

Also from the OP:
"Fearnley, 28, was told the airline's policy was to take some wheelchairs from disabled people to check in as baggage"

How does JQ differentiate check in of 'some' wheelchairs? What if a customer wishes to keep their own wheelchair until they board?

Seems to be a few conflicting issues/policies here yes?

 

[Sprucegoose]

IMHO he is tired and emotional. We have all had our rants at low points in our lives.

He shouldnt carry on like a pork chop, me thinks public opinion is just not on his side. Jetstars response was quite reasonable, and he didnt say if he attempted to negotiate the outcome?


SPRUCE

 

[Sprucegoose]

Furthermore he could have checked in 30 minutes prior to boarding (as he is allowed) and spent the other hour in his chair. There is no requirement to check in 90 minutes before a J* flight.

I do believe he is using this to create publicity.

If we allow everyone to assert their individual rights we would have chaos.

ejb

good point, did he need a speech for his award night?

Shorten shouldnt get too close to this either if he is smart.


SPRUCE :idea::idea::idea:

 

[samh004]

"Fearnley, 28, was told the airline's policy was to take some wheelchairs from disabled people to check in as baggage"

How does JQ differentiate check in of 'some' wheelchairs? What if a customer wishes to keep their own wheelchair until they board?

Seems to be a few conflicting issues/policies here yes?

I think it’s probably a case of if it’s bigger and needs more protection it has to be checked-in at check-in, while if it’s smaller and can be safely stowed when you arrive at the gate (such as some prams) then they do it that way.

Perhaps his wheelchair wouldn’t have fit in the hold where they store prams.

 

[oz_mark]

Sorry but i don't get why you are all turning on Fearnley?

Jetstar told the man he had to spend an HOUR AND A HALF waiting at the boarding gate in a chair designed that he couldn't move it by himself.

While I don't agree completely with the way Jetstar handled the situation, Fearnley has not endeared himself with the hyperbolic claptrap he used to get his point across.

 

[UP4014]

While I don't agree completely with the way Jetstar handled the situation, Fearnley has not endeared himself with the hyperbolic claptrap he used to get his point across.

Hope I never have to sit next to him a flight, now where are those head phones.